How Did It Come to This?
by smurf.magic
Summary: She stiffened at his touch, frightened at what she knew was coming. She couldn't escape him; the stone wall was cold and ruthless beneath her, and as it scratched her face, she tried to remember how it had come to this. A/U, sixth year. Dark themes, rated M for a reason!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody! This is my first fanfic in a loooong time. I hope you like it, and I welcome any and all reviews and critiques. :)**

**I don't own anything in the Harry Potter universe, except for my many posters and my bedspread (don't mind me, I'm just fangirling out over here). All characters and basically everything worthwhile belong to J.K. Rowling, that magical genius. **

**Enjoy!**

She stiffened at his touch, frightened by what was coming. She was helpless; with her arms wrenched painfully behind her back and her face pressed against the wall, his freehand roamed her body. She trembled and a single tear slid down her cheek as his hand crept lower, stopping on her hips with his fingertips dipped under the waistband of her skirt. She felt him breathe in the scent of her hair, and he moaned and pressed himself harder against her back.

She felt him nibble at her neck and lick his way down to the exposed skin on her shoulder, his hand drawing lazy circles on her hip. Testing his grip, she pulled at her arms, but he had them firmly in one hand, pinned between their bodies. She couldn't escape him; she was trapped against the wall by his strong, hard body. The stone wall was cold and ruthless beneath her, and as it scratched her face, she tried to remember how it had come to this.

Two Months Earlier

"Hermione! Wait up!"

Hermione let out an annoyed huff, but she slowed and watched as Ron and Harry stumbled across the corridor to catch up with her. She was almost late for her meeting with Professor McGonagall, and she didn't really have the time to sit around and wait for them. The school year hadn't even started yet, and she was already getting frazzled. She reached up to smooth her hair as she continued to walk. Her face was flushed from the exertion of running, and she was overheating walking so slowly. They finally caught up, and Hermione reverted back to her quickened pace.

"Oi! What's the rush?" Ron managed to blurt out between exhausted breaths. He and Harry struggled to maintain stride with her.

Hermione released an exasperated sigh at her friends. "Ronald, Professor McGonagall wants to see me, and if I don't hurry, I won't make it on time! Can we talk later?"

"Harry has another meeting with Dumbledore," Ron sounded dejected. He tugged at his shirt uncomfortably. "Are you going to be in the common room after dinner?"

As they turned a corner, Hermione dropped her annoyed tone and smiled at Ron and Harry. "I think that's what McGonagall wants to talk to me about. I'm fairly certain I'm going to be Head Girl! So you probably won't see me tonight since I'll have loads to do and a new common room…" She trailed off, thrilled at the potential for more study sessions where she could concentrate.

Harry whooped in excitement and beamed at her. "Hooray, Hermione Granger, Head Girl! Alright then, we'll just catch up tomorrow. Dumbledore wanted to see me anyway." Hermione flashed a grin at them, but Ron looked grumpy and left out.

"I'll let you know all the details!" Hermione paused, smiled and briefly hugged her friends, then sprinted toward McGonagall's office. She felt a smidgen of remorse for being so short with her friends. She loved Harry and Ron, but she was going to be late! Hermione was never late for anything!

She was nearing the office, and she was grateful that there were few students in the halls. Dumbledore had requested the Golden Trio come early so he could prepare them for the coming year. Dumbledore was most interested in talking to Harry, but there were a few things here and there for Hermione and Ron to do.

She rounded another corner. Why did Hogwarts have to be so blasted huge? But she sensed that she was almost there and sprinted up a flight of stairs. At the top, she smacked right into a hard body. As she closed her eyes and prepared to fall instantly back down the stairs, she felt an arm snake around her waist, spinning her away from the stairwell and preventing her from falling. Her eyes flew open, ready to thank her savior, when she saw a shock of white-blonde hair and a pair of stormy gray eyes.

"What a clumsy oaf you are, Granger." Draco's voice made her skin crawl. "I'm curious, is it a common trait of mudbloods to be lumbering trolls, or is it just you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed his arm away from her from her small frame. As she started to move around him, he sneered at her and moved into her path. She didn't have time for his derision or his games. "Get out of my way, Malfoy, I'm busy."

"Too busy for Head Boy?" Draco asked innocently, a cruel smile played on his lips and distorted his almost-handsome face. Hermione's stomach dropped at his words. She had known it was a possibility, but had been holding out hope that it would be someone, _anyone_ else.

"Tsk tsk, Granger. Respect your superiors. So rude." He snickered as her face grew pale, and slowly stalked toward her, raking his eyes up and down her body. She had filled out over the summer, and though she didn't know it, she was definitely beautiful now. Her hair was no longer bushy and unmanageable, but smooth, shiny and perfectly wavy. She had discovered a new love for running, and though her hips were still curvy, her legs and bum had rounded out with muscle. She was long and lean, with pale ivory skin that accentuated her brown eyes.

She didn't like the way he was looking at her. This was different than previous years. She shifted uncomfortably, aware of how trapped she was. As he advanced on her and into her personal space, she contemplated running back down the stairs. He paused, towering over her and looking down at her face, his eyes darkening to a frightening shade of dark gray. After what felt like a lifetime, she saw something shift in his eyes, and he laughed sadistically in her face and backed up. "Disgusting mudblood," he spat out. "You're late. McGonagall is waiting for you."

Hermione moaned in irritation and pushed past him, sprinting away through another corridor, eager to put distance between them. What was _that_? She contemplated their strange interaction, confused at what had happened. For a moment, she was genuinely afraid that he was going to assault her, but he was just mocking her? What kind of game was he playing? A few minutes later, she finally found herself in front of her destination.

She knocked softly, tried to slow down her breathing, and entered when she heard the professor's crisp voice beckoning her inside.

"Ms. Granger, I trust that you understand how precious my time is. Please don't be late again."

"I'm so sorry, I ran into a few…hiccups along the way," Hermione stuttered out while seating herself across from McGonagall's large oak desk. Professor McGonagall dismissed Hermione's apology with a wave of her hand and leaned back against her chair. She studied Hermione from behind her spectacles. "Do you know why I asked you to meet me here?"

Hermione remained silent, waiting for the Professor to elaborate. Despite learning that Malfoy was Head Boy, she was still excited to hear what she knew Professor McGonagall was going to say.

"As I'm sure you've guessed, you have been selected to be Head Girl, Ms. Granger." Hermione struggled to listen closely as she was given instructions on her new role, directions to her new dorms, and she laughed out loud when she found out the password. She could only imagine Malfoy's face when he heard how wonderfully ridiculous it was.

By the time she was dismissed to go settle into her new room, Hermione was in a great mood. As she made her way through Hogwarts and found her new rooms, she had forgotten all about her strange meeting with her new roommate, and had decided that this year was going to be good. She looked at the grizzled wizard that was seated calmly in his portrait, and she smiled.

"Bumbleshoot," she said with a suppressed giggle. The wizard smiled, and the portrait swung away to reveal a passageway. She steeled herself and walked through the hall into her new common room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, I was moving cross-country! Anyhow, here's the next chapter. Please read and review, all feedback is appreciated!**

**Again, all of the characters and settings are owned by the brilliant J.K. Rowling. I just mold them into doing my wicked bidding for fun ;)**

**Hope you guys enjoy :)**

Hermione looked around at her new common room, grateful that Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. It was tastefully decorated with both Gryffindor and Slytherin colors. To the right, there was a large, dark oak table with two chairs on either side and two ornate candelabras resting down the middle. Three overstuffed leather armchairs and a couch were on the left, looking very comfortable and surrounding a crackling fireplace.

Tall, airy windows circled the entire room, and the blue sky looked lovely against the red and gold of her house colors. The Gryffindor colors were light and cheery in the sunlight, and Hermione watched briefly as clouds crossed past the large windows. The sunshine and bright sky clashed with the cool colors of Slytherin's sigil, but Hermione ignored the vague omen. She was determined to make this school year wonderful.

Hermione crossed through the common room to where there were two grand doors- -one was a deep crimson, with a bold, prancing gold lion, and the other was a murky emerald green, with an undulating silver snake. Obviously, the red door was to her bedroom, so she grasped the handle and pushed it open.

She stepped through a short hallway and up a few steps that followed, and entered an immense room. It was painted a light yellow, with soft, cushy beige carpets that made Hermione instantly want to take off her shoes and feel it between her toes. Centered under a stained glass window was a large mahogany sleigh bed, with burgundy sheets and fluffy gold pillows. Nestled on either side of the bed were two nightstands, each with its own golden sconce above. There was a dresser and a large walk-in closet (Hermione sniggered aloud…As if she had that much clothing!), and a full-length mirror was behind the door. Her trunks were at the foot of her bed, already unpacked by the house-elves. She made a mental note to bake them some cookies as a thank-you, and wondered if they had found a few of the pieces of clothing she had knitted for them.

On the other side of the room, across from the walk-in closet, was the bathroom. It was made entirely of marble, and it had quite possibly the largest tub Hermione had ever seen. The walk-in shower was in the corner, and there were two sinks nestled in the counter near the commode. All of the fixtures were gold-colored, and they contrasted beautifully with the ruddy brown of the marbling. The entire suite was gorgeous, and Hermione basked in it, grateful to be Head Girl.

Hermione crossed the room and flopped down on the bed, reveling in the feel of the mattress and pillows enveloping her. She absent-mindedly wondered if Malfoy's room was as comfy. She hoped he was terribly dissatisfied. After how he made her feel that day, he deserved to be uncomfortable, she mused.

As she lay there, she made a mental list of all the things she needed to do. McGonagall had told her that a few Head Girl duties started tonight, even though it seemed rather pointless since there were hardly any students at Hogwarts yet. She was not looking forward to patrolling, since she would once again have to interact with that silver-haired prat she shared a dorm with, not to mention that she would be alone with him.

A loud grumbling from her stomach broke her from her thoughts, and she realized that she hadn't eaten all day. She glanced down at her watch. 8:30pm. Good, the Great Hall would still be open for her to get some food, and she might just see Harry and Ron! She stood up from the bed and stretched before heading out of her room and into the common room.

"Hello Granger," Malfoy sneered, shooting her a glare as she entered the room. He was seated in one of the large chairs at the table, with his feet crossed and up on the tabletop. He had a knack for making every little thing he said derisive. She had half a mind to just turn around and go back into her room, but she didn't want to let him win. Still, she stopped a safe distance away and eyed him warily, waiting for some sort of attack. She watched as he looked her up and down lazily, then turned back to the book he was reading.

"You know, when someone greets you, the polite thing to do is acknowledge them, and then return the favor," he spoke calmly, arrogance and condescension staining his voice. "For being the supposed 'smartest witch in our class,' you really are very stupid and rude."

"Hi," Hermione responded curtly, ignoring the increasing protests from her stomach and clutching the wand in her pocket. There was a long pause, and growing impatient, she slowly moved to leave. "Was there something you needed?" she asked, irritated with him as she walked toward the exit.

"Are you ready to fulfill your duties with me tonight?" He asked silkily as he looked up from his book, his eyebrows wagging suggestively. She paused and sighed inwardly, not meeting his gaze. She had to get out of the room, when did the air become so heavy? He was making her brain hurt with his flip-flopping moods, and she really needed to eat.

"Yeah, whatever Malfoy, catch up with you later," she managed to blurt out before the portrait swung forward and let her out of the stifling room.

…

She headed toward the Great Hall, her mind abuzz with all of the puzzling things that had happened in the past few hours. If Malfoy kept up with this confusing attitude, tonight was not going to be fun. Strolling around the huge, empty castle with a borderline psychotic? Not her idea of a favorite adventure. She began to mentally list all the defensive spells she knew, just in case.

As she neared the Great Hall, her nose was hit with a wave of delicious smells. Roasted chicken and was that pumpkin pie? There were very few students in the castle, but it smelled like the house-elves were cooking for an army. She entered the large doors, and found a few people scattered here and there at the tables. There were two young Hufflepuff girls sitting together and chatting, munching on chicken drumsticks at one table. A fifth-year Ravenclaw stared into a bowl of soup at another table across the hall, and Professor Sprout waved and smiled at Hermione from the head table. She saw a shock of red hair, and excitedly rushed over to Ron's table.

Ron was slumping over a plate of mashed potatoes, grumpily swirling his fork around. Hermione sat down across from him, greeting him enthusiastically while she scooped a large helping of green beans and chicken breast onto her plate.

"Hallo Ron!" She smiled at him before taking a hearty bite out of her chicken. He ignored her. She furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head. She wanted to tell him that he was being ridiculous, but her mouth was too full. Instead, she rolled her eyes and kicked him under the table, eliciting a grunt.

"Oh hey Hermione," he glanced up at her sullenly, before looking back down at his plate and stabbing at his food. When she had finally swallowed her chicken, she decided to ask him what was wrong.

"I s'pose I'm just bored," he said dejectedly. "You and Harry have exciting things going on this year that I can't be a part of, and I only have Quidditch to look forward to." He didn't meet her gaze, continuing to mope.

"Cheer up, Ron," Hermione managed to sputter out between hungry bites. "Yes, Harry has important things to do for Dumbledore, but you know he'll want his best friends to help!" Hermione reached across the table clumsily and touched his hand, trying to comfort him. He blushed a little in embarrassment at the contact, and chortled at the awkwardness. Soon they were laughing at the whole situation, and Ron finally cheered up while they both continued to eat and chatter.

She finished her meal, satisfied with herself for cheering Ron up and full from the delightful food. She snuck a quick peek at Ron. When did he become so cute? Touching his hand had sent little electric shivers through her body, and seeing him blush at the slight graze made her head feel fuzzy. Today was shaping up to be a very confusing day. She squinted at the small clock on the wall and stood up. It was time for her to start getting ready to patrol. She and Ron exchanged their usual friendly hugs near the door, and she headed off toward her dorms.

…

Muttering the password quickly, Hermione made her way through the open portrait hole into the common room to find Malfoy lounging on the leather couch. He ignored her completely as she made her way to her private bedroom, and as she entered it, she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad, he seemed to be back to his pompous self, and she could handle that.

She quickly readied herself to patrol. She pinned her hair back, and donned and straightened her robes. Giving herself an once-over in the mirror, she decided she looked enough like a Head Girl for now, and headed back into the common room. Malfoy was still sprawling lazily on the couch, and he glanced at her briefly before nodding and standing up.

"Ready?" he drawled in his velvety, haughty voice. He looked her up and down quickly, practically dripping disdain for her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and strode toward the portrait-hole. He followed her, and as they climbed through the opening, she thought she felt his hand gingerly stroke her robes.


End file.
